Antenna



July 3, 1945. c. w. HANsELL ANTENNA Filed Jan. 27, 1945 INVENTOR (MPE/vae /vf/vs-LL BY )f A TTORNE Y Patented July 3, 1945 l Clarence W. Hansell, Ro to Radio Corporation of Delaware cky Point, N. Y., assigner of America, a corporation Applicationl January 27, 1943, Serial No. 473,673

U15 Claims. (C1. y,2.5033) The present invention relates to antenna sysrtems and, more particularly, to directive antennas useable over a wide frequency band.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a wide band directive antenna system.

Another object-of the present invention is the provisionof a directional antenna system which does not require resistance loading. y

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a highly eiiicient broad band antenna. y y

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a multi-element antenna in which changes of input impedance of one element counterbalance changes in another element of the antenna. f v

The ioregoingobjects, and others which may y appear from the following detailed description,

are attained byv providing an antenna array in the form o f two coaxial V or diamondradiators in planes at right `angles to one anotherfed with energy in mutual phase; quadrature.

[The novel features-which, itisfbel-ieved., lare characteristic of the present invention areV pointed loutwith',particularity in the appended'claims The invention will, however, v,be ymore completely understood with reference to theA Yfollowing detailed description which is accompanied bya drawing in which Figure 1 illustrates an-embodiment ofI the invention utilizing a*y pair of7 V( antennas,'. whileV Figure 2 is a modincation wherein apair of diamondantennas are used'. n y y y Theantenna system shown invFigurelin'cludes a .pair-Tof V antennas, one of which includes conductors and l l, while vthe other includesl'conductors l2 and i3.k It vwill be noted` that conductors I2 and I3 of one antenna lie ina plane .perpendicular to the plane in which` conductors il)v and Ilv lie. e n y e twoplanes liesv along the center lineindicated by arrowSrwhich also denotes the direction ofA maximum responsey yofthe, antenna system. Antenna wires are supported at their most widely7 separated ends frompoles l5 and I6, suitable insulators vI bein-g interposed between thenends ci the' wires andthe antenna poles.`r The antenna wires are all supported at their morecloselyY adjacent ends fromI a'pole -|1,l suitable insulators lI* being, as beforaplaced between the pole and the vendsof :thewires -At'th'e more vclosely adjacent lends o f wires l0 andl Il are connected wires 20.,and 2| constituting@ twqwire transmission linedeading ,to an impedancefmatching :network M- Similarly the more closely adjacent ends of wires l2,- and The line of `intersection of the v I3 are connected to wires 22 and v23 constituting 55 a -two wire transmission line terminating in animpedance matching network M. Preferably, the lengths of wires 20, 2l and 22, 23 are all equal. If they are not equal then wire 20 or 2| should differ in length from wire 22 or 23 by an integral number of haliwaves at an intermediate frel quency. -The impedance matching networks are not essential elements but may be omitted if the lengths of the antennas and connecting lines are adjusted to give substantially non-reactive input impedances at the points where the impedance .matching networks are located. The impedance matchingnetworks M and` M' are connected ton vgether by a two wire transmission line TL having an eiiective electrical length equal to one quarter of the operating wavelength of the system. To one end of transmission line TL is connected a main .transmission line TL', preferably having a characteristic impedance equal to half that of line .section TL, to which is connected the receiving for transmitting equipment (not shown) with which the system is to be` associated. For the sake of convenience in description the .present invention is described primarily from the standpoint of transmission of signals. It should, however, be clearly understood that the present invention is lalso. intended .for use in the reception of signals.

The characteristic impedances oitransmission lines 'I'L and TL are so adjusted as to assure v'proper distribution of energy tothe impedance matching networks M and M and the minimizing of reiiections. This may be done by varying vthe spacing between the conductors of the transmission linesand/o` their 'eiectivediameters The eiective diameters may beincreased either by .making thephysical diameters larger or by using two or more conductors in parallel for each vconductor of thev transmisslonfline. Now, due to :the-length of t-rzvinsm-ission .line/"TL, which is a quarter-wavelength for ,a1 mean or intermediate frequency and not too far' ironia quarter'wave-I length at other frequencies in an `operating Aband of frequencies, any change in input impedance of one V antenna willfbe counterbalanced, in whole or in par-t, by a proportional change fin input impedance of the other V antenna. The impedance inverting property ofthe quarter wave line causes the Ychanges in input impedance to canceleach other to asubstantial degree over a band oi frequencies. Since the two separate V antennas'are mounted in planes at right angles to one another there is very low coupling, approaching zero,y between them except through th'e feeder system and Yeac-hY radiates independently in the desired` direction, as indicated by arrow S. Consequently,

any frequency over a broad band without waste i of power in terminating resistances. Therefore,

the antenna has substantially the same advanl tages With IeSpeCt to reduction of input impedance variations as resistance loaded rhombic antennas,

wherein however, in Order to prevent reflection,

approximately half of the power must be wasted in the resistance loading.

The antenna system shown in Figure 2 of lthe drawing is, as to the left-hand portion of the gure, exactly the same as the antenna system of Figure l-and the same reference numerals are, therefore, applied .to corresponding parts of this figure. However, the Vs of Figure l are transformed into diamonds by the addition of conductors IG', l2', Il and I3 connected tothe more widely spaced ends of conductors IQ, i i, l2 and i3.

The conductors bearing the prime numbers again converge toward their ends remote from the feed lines and are supported at the far ends from an antenna pole 21. Each conductor is electrically isolated from every other one at their converging ends by the interposition` of insulators I arranged similarly to those at the feeding end of the antenna. However, this insulation of the ends is not essential and, if desired, the wires may be joined together.

The operation of the antenna system of Figure 2.is substantially the same as that of Figure 1 so the operation will not be again gone into, the' lonly substantial distinction being that of the increased directivity due to the use of diamond antennas rather than V antennas. v

While I have illustrated a particular embodiment of the present invention, itV should be clearly understood that it is not limited thereto vsince rmany' modifications may be made in the several elements employed and in their arrangement and itV is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims toV cover any such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A pair of V type directional antenna radiators arranged in planes atV right angles and with their bisectors coincident and means for coupling both radiators to a common transmission line, said means comprising a Vlength of transmission line whose characteristic impedance, for a mean operating frequency, is substantially matched at both ends and whose length is substantially equal to a quarter Wave at the mean operating frequency of said radiators. Y

f 2. A pair of rhombic directional antenna radiators arranged in planes at right angles and with their longitudinal bisectors coincident and means for coupling both radiators to'a common transmission line, said means'comprising a length of transmission line whose characteristic impedance, for,` a means operating frequency, is substantially matched at both ends andlwhose length is substantially equal to a quarter wave at the mean operating frequency of said radiators;

3. A pair of V type directional antenna radiators arranged in planes at right angles and with their bisectors coincident and coupling means for coupling each radiator to the end of a transmission line, said coupling means comprising im pedance matched line sections which differ in length by a quarter Wavelength at a chosen frequency.

4. A pair of rhombic directional antenna radiators arranged in planes at right angles and with their longitudinal bisectors coincident and coupling means for coupling each radiator tothe end of a transmission line, said coupling means comprising impedance matched line sections which differ in length by a quarter Wavelength at a chosen frequency.

-sion line connected at one end to transducer equipment connections from each of said units to points on said transmission line, said points being spaced one quarter'of the4 operating wavelength.

7. An antenna system including a pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles'to one another with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a tranmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each of said units to points on said transmission line, said points being spaced one quarter ofV vthe operating wavelength and the length of said connections so differing by one halfof the operating wavelength that energy from said transmission line arrives '-at 'said units in quadrature phase relationship. Y

8. An antenna system including apair Vof directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one another with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connectionsV from each ofy said units to points on said transmission Vline, said points being spaced one quarter of the operating Wavelength and the length of -said connections so differing by one h'a'lfofthe operating Wavelength that energy from saidtransmission line arrives at said units in quadrature phase relationship# and impedancer matching networks, in each connection from said transmission line to said units.

9,'An antenna systemjncluding a pair of directional radiating Aunits arranged in planes at right angles to one` another with their directions of maximum response in alignment, and means for connecting said 'unitsto transducer equipment, the electricallength of the connections between eachof said units and said means differing by a quarter of the operating Wavelength, each directionalradiating unit including a pair of conductors, the spacing of said conductors in said planes varying along their length.

10. An antenna system including a pair of directonal radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to oneranother with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each-of said units to points on said'transniissionlne, said points being spaced one quarter of the operating Wavelength, each directional radiating unit including a pair of conductors, the spacing of said conductors in said planes varying along their length.

11. An antenna system including a pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one Ianother with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each of said. units to points on said transmission line, said points being spaced one quarter of a Wavelength Within the operating band of wavelengths and the length of said connections being equal or differing by integral half Waves of an operating wavelength so that in phase energy in said transmission line has a phase quadrature relationship in said units, each directional radiating unit including a pair of conductors, the spacing of said conductors in said planes Varying along their length.

12. An antenna system including a pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one another-With their directions of maximum response in alignment, and means 'for connecting said units to transducer equipment, the electrical length of the connections between each of said units and said means differing by a quarter of the operating wavelength, each directional radiating unit including a pair of conductors diverging along their length With 'increasing distance from Said connections.

13. An antenna system including a,A pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one another with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each of said units to points on said transmission line, said points being spaced one quarter of the operating wavelength, each directional radiating unit including a pair of conductors .diverging along their length With increasing distance from said connections.

14. An antenna system including a pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one another with their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each of said units to points on said transmission line, said points being spaced one quarter of the operating Wavelength and the length of said connections being equal, or ldiiering by integral half waves of the operating wavelength, so th'atenergy from said transmission line arrives at said units in the same phase relationship, each directional radiating unit including a pair of` conductors `diverglng along their length With increasing distance from said connections.

15. An antenna system including a pair of directional radiating units arranged in planes at right angles to one another With their directions of maximum response in alignment, a transmission line connected at one end to transducer equipment, connections from each of said units to points on said tranmission line, said points being spaced one quarter of the operating wavelength, and the length of said connections being alike or so differing that energy from said transmission line arrives at said units in 90 degree phase relationship, each directional radiating unit including a pair of conductors, the spacing of said conductors diverging and then converging in a diamond configuration in said plane.

CLARENCE W. HANSELL. 

